Cormac Mac Airt ("son of Art"), aka Cormac Ua Cuinn (grandson of Conn) or Cormac Ulfada ("long beard"), is probably the most famous of the ancient High Kings of Ireland, and may have been an authentic historical figure, although many legends have attached themselves to him. He was the son of Art, son of Conn of the Hundred Battles. He is said to have ruled from Tara, the seat of the High Kings of Ireland, for forty years in the early to mid 3rd century and under his rule Tara flourished. He was famous for his wise, true, ...

Including:

Cormac mac Airt - External link

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The Book of Ballymote (Leabhar Bhaile an Mhóta, RIA MS 23 P 12, 275 foll.), named for the parish of Ballymote, County Sligo, was written in 1390 or 1391. It was produced by the scribes Solam Ó Droma, Robertus Mac Sithigh and Magnus Ó Duibgennain, on commission by Tonnaltagh McDonagh, in the possession of whose clan the manuscript remained until in 1522, when it was purchased by Aed Óg O'Donnell, prince of Tír Conaill, for 140 milch cows. In 1620 it was given to Trinity College, Dublin, but was subsequently stolen fr ...

Including:

Book of Ballymote - Editions

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The Uí Néill (Irish for "descendants of Niall") were an Irish dynasty who claimed descent from Niall Noigiallach (Niall of the Nine Hostages), a semi-historical High King of Ireland who died about 405. The first generation of the Uí Néill were his sons, eight in all: Conall Gulban Endae Eogan Coirpre Lóegaire Maine of TethbaIncluding:

Uí Néill - Uí Néill Genealogy

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Fionn mac Cumhail (earlier Finn or Find mac Cumail or mac Umaill, pronounced roughly "Finn mac Cool") was a legendary hunter-warrior of Irish mythology, also known in Scotland and the Isle of Man. The stories of Fionn and his followers, the Fianna, form the Fenian cycle, much of it supposedly narrated by Fionn's son, the poet Oisín. The Fenian Brotherhood took their name from these legends. Fionn or Finn is actually a nickname meaning "fair" (in reference to hair colour), "white" or "bright". His childhood name was Deimne, and several legends tell how he gai ...

Including:

Fionn mac Cumhail - Legend
Fionn mac Cumhail - Birth Fionn mac Cumhail - Boyhood Fionn mac Cumhail - Fionn claims his birthright Fionn mac Cumhail - Love life Fionn mac Cumhail - Death
Fionn mac Cumhail - Folklore Fionn mac Cumhail - Modern literature Fionn mac Cumhail - Other names

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Conn Cétchathach (Conn of the Hundred Battles) was a legendary High King of Ireland. He was the ancestor of the Connachta, and, through his descendant Niall Noígiallach, the Uí Néill dynasties. His father was either Fedlimid Rechtmar or Óenlám Gaba, and his mother is sometimes given as Medb Lethderg. His son was Art mac Cuinn. Some stories of the Fenian Cycle are set in his time. He gained the throne by overthrowing Mal, who had killed his father. He earned ...

Including:

Conn of the Hundred Battles - Family tree

Read more here: » Conn of the Hundred Battles: Encyclopedia - Conn of the Hundred Battles

In Irish mythology, Alastir was the younger brother of Cormac mac Airt. Other related archivesCormac mac Airt, Irish mythology

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266 - Events. Ireland - Rule of High King Cormac mac Airt ends (approximate) 266 - Births. 266 - Deaths. Category: 266 ...

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266 - Events 266 - Births 266 - Deaths

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According to legend, Niall was the son of the High King Eochaid Mugmedon and his second wife, Cairenn, daughter of Sachell Balb, king of Britain. When Cairenn became pregnant, Eochaid's first wife, Mongfind, was consumed with jealousy and made Cairenn do heavy work in the hope of forcing her to miscarry. Out of fear of Mongfind, Cairenn exposed her baby, but he was rescued and fostered by Torna the poet. Niall returned to Tara as an adult and rescued his ...

See also:

Niall of the Nine Hostages, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Early Life, Niall of the Nine Hostages - King and High King, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Niall and Saint Patrick, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Death, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Descendants, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Family Tree, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources

Read more here: » Niall of the Nine Hostages: Encyclopedia II - Niall of the Nine Hostages - Early Life

According to legend, Niall was the son of the High King Eochaid Mugmedon and his second wife, Cairenn, daughter of Sachell Balb, king of Britain. When Cairenn became pregnant, Eochaid's first wife, Mongfind, was consumed with jealousy and made Cairenn do heavy work in the hope of forcing her to miscarry. Out of fear of Mongfind, Cairenn exposed her baby, but he was rescued and fostered by Torna the poet. Niall returned to Tara as an adult and rescued his ...

See also:

Niall of the Nine Hostages, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Early life, Niall of the Nine Hostages - King and High King, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Niall and Saint Patrick, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Death, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Descendants, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Family tree, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources

Read more here: » Niall of the Nine Hostages: Encyclopedia II - Niall of the Nine Hostages - Early life

The Tainiste held office for life and was required by custom to be of full age, in possession of all his faculties and without any remarkable blemish of mind or body. At the same time, and subject to the same conditions, a tanist or next heir to the Monarchy was elected, who if the king died or became disqualified, at once became king. Most usually a former king's son became tanist (sometimes the son of the king simultaneously elected), but not because the system of primogeniture was in any way recognized; indeed, the only principle adopted was that the dignity of chieftainship should des ...

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Tanistry, Tanistry - Origins, Tanistry - Candidates and Functions, Tanistry - Further Points, Tanistry - Current Political Uses, Tanistry - Uses in Literature and Neo-Paganism, Tanistry - Blood Tanistry, Tanistry - Reference

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Fionn mac Cumhail - Birth. Fionn was the son of Cumhal, leader of the fianna, and Muirne, daughter of the druid Tadg mac Nuadat who lived on the hill of Almu in County Kildare. Cumhal abducted Muirne after her father refused him her hand, so Tadg appealed to the High King, Conn of the Hundred Battles, who outlawed him. The Battle of Cnucha was fought between Conn and Cumhal, and Cumhal was killed by Goll mac Mo ...

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Fionn mac Cumhail, Fionn mac Cumhail - Legend, Fionn mac Cumhail - Birth, Fionn mac Cumhail - Boyhood, Fionn mac Cumhail - Fionn claims his birthright, Fionn mac Cumhail - Love life, Fionn mac Cumhail - Death, Fionn mac Cumhail - Folklore, Fionn mac Cumhail - Modern literature, Fionn mac Cumhail - Other names

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Tuathal was the son of a former High King deposed by an uprising of "subject peoples" who returned at the head of an army to reclaim his father's throne. The oldest source for Tuathal's story, a 9th century poem by Mael Mura of Othain, says that his father, Fiacha Finnfolaidh, was overthrown by the four provincial kings, Éllim of Ulster, Sanb (son of Cet mac Mágach) of Connacht, Foirbre of Munster and Eochaid Ainchenn of Leinster, and that it was Éllim who took the High Kingship. During his rule Ireland suffered famine as God punis ...

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Tuathal Teachtmhar, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Legend, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Historical context, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Dates, Tuathal Teachtmhar - The first of the Goidels?, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Romans in Ireland?, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Tuathal's family tree, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Other returned exile High Kings

Read more here: » Tuathal Teachtmhar: Encyclopedia II - Tuathal Teachtmhar - Legend

The Tainiste was chosen from among the heads of the roydammna or "righdamhna" (literally, those of kingly material) or alternatively among all males of the sept in question, and elected by them in full assembly. The office existed since the dawn of recorded history in Ireland, and probably greatly pre-dates it. For example, a story concerning Cormac mac Airt lists his eldest son as his Tainste. Following his death at the hands of a member of the Deisi (and the blemishing of Cormac during the same incident), another roydammna, C ...

See also:

Tanistry, Tanistry - Origins, Tanistry - Candidates and Functions, Tanistry - Further Points, Tanistry - Current Political Uses, Tanistry - Uses in Literature and Neo-Paganism, Tanistry - Blood Tanistry, Tanistry - Reference

Read more here: » Tanistry: Encyclopedia II - Tanistry - Origins

Tuathal Teachtmhar - Dates. The Annals of the Four Masters gives the date of Tuathal's exile as 56 AD, his return as 76 and his death as 106. Seathrún Céitinn's Foras Feasa ar Érinn broadly agrees, dating his exile to 55, his return to 80 and his death to 100. The Book of Invasions places him a little later, synchronising his exile to the reign of the Roman emperor Domitian (81-96), his return early in the reign of Hadrian (122-138) and his death in the reign of Antoninus Pius (138-161). < ...

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Tuathal Teachtmhar, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Legend, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Historical context, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Dates, Tuathal Teachtmhar - The first of the Goidels?, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Romans in Ireland?, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Tuathal's family tree, Tuathal Teachtmhar - Other returned exile High Kings

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The Northern and Southern Uí Néill dynasties, which provided most of the High Kings for centuries, descended from Niall. Other famous descendants include Saint Columba, Niall's great-great grandson. In addition to these illustrious figures, several Scottish clans, including Clan MacNeil and the Clan MacLachlan, claim descent from Niall. In 2006, scientists suggested that Niall may have been the most prolific male in Irish history, referring to certain genetic evidence that as many as one in twelve Irish men and three million ...

See also:

Niall of the Nine Hostages, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Early life, Niall of the Nine Hostages - King and High King, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Niall and Saint Patrick, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Death, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Descendants, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Family tree, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources

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There are various versions of how Niall gained his epithet Noígiallach. The oldest is that he took a hostage from each of the nine tuatha or petty kingdoms of the Airgialla. The later, better known story is that he took a hostage from each of the five provinces of Ireland (Ulster, Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Meath), and one each from the Scots, Saxons, Britons, and French (or one each from Dalriada, Caledonia, Strathclyde and Northumbria). Irish sources describe Niall's expeditions to Britain and France, and his rei ...

See also:

Niall of the Nine Hostages, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Early life, Niall of the Nine Hostages - King and High King, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Niall and Saint Patrick, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Death, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Descendants, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Family tree, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources

Read more here: » Niall of the Nine Hostages: Encyclopedia II - Niall of the Nine Hostages - King and High King

The Tainiste was chosen from among the heads of the roydammna or "righdamhna" (literally, those of kingly material) or alternatively among all males of the sept in question, and elected by them in full assembly. The office existed since the dawn of recorded history in Ireland, and probably greatly pre-dates it. For example, a story concerning Cormac mac Airt lists his eldest son as his Tainste. Following his death at the hands of a member of the Deisi (and the blemishing of Cormac during the same incident), another roydammna, ...

See also:

Tanistry, Tanistry - Origins, Tanistry - Candidates and Functions, Tanistry - Further Points, Tanistry - Current Political Uses, Tanistry - Uses in Literature and Neo-Paganism, Tanistry - Blood Tanistry, Tanistry - Reference

Read more here: » Tanistry: Encyclopedia II - Tanistry - Origins

The Northern and Southern Uí Néill dynasties, which provided most of the High Kings for centuries, descended from Niall. Other famous descendants include Saint Columba, Niall's great-great grandson. In addition to these illustrious figures, several Scottish clans, including Clan MacNeil and the Clan MacLachlan, can claim descent from Niall. ...

See also:

Niall of the Nine Hostages, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Early Life, Niall of the Nine Hostages - King and High King, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Niall and Saint Patrick, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Death, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Descendants, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Family Tree, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources

Read more here: » Niall of the Nine Hostages: Encyclopedia II - Niall of the Nine Hostages - Descendants

There are various versions of how Niall gained his epithet Noígiallach. The oldest is that he took a hostage from each of the nine tuatha or petty kingdoms of the Airgialla. The later, better known story is that he took a hostage from each of the five provinces of Ireland (Ulster, Connacht, Leinster, Munster and Meath), and one each from the Scots, Saxons, Britons, and French (or one each from Dalriada, Caledonia, Strathclyde and Northumbria). Irish sources describe Niall's expeditions to Britain and France, and his rei ...

See also:

Niall of the Nine Hostages, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Early Life, Niall of the Nine Hostages - King and High King, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Niall and Saint Patrick, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Death, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Descendants, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Family Tree, Niall of the Nine Hostages - Sources

Read more here: » Niall of the Nine Hostages: Encyclopedia II - Niall of the Nine Hostages - King and High King